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Perhaps you bought a piece of silver online from a dodgy site, or your friend gave you a piece she found. Maybe you just want to check out some family heirlooms that you're not totally sure are real. Whatever your reason, you'll need to know how to test your silver. Silver is a versatile chemical element. Sterling silver is 92.5 percent silver and 7.5 percent other metals, primarily copper. It is harder than pure silver. Pure silver is soft and often called "fine silver." Products often can be mistaken as silver if they are silver plated (merely covered with a thin layer of fine silver). Scroll down to Step 1 to begin testing your silver.[1]XResearch source

Look for a stamp. Items advertised as silver and sold internationally should be stamped based on its silver content. If there is no stamp, be leery. It may be still be pure silver, but created in a country that doesn't require stamping.[2]XResearch source

Evaluate the international silver stamp rating. Look at the silver piece with a magnifying glass. International sellers of silver will stamp silver as 925, 900 or 800. These numbers indicate the percentage of fine silver in the piece. 925 means that the piece is 92.5 percent silver. A stamp of 900 or 800 means the piece is 90 percent or 80 percent silver, and is often called "coin" silver.[3]XResearch source

Test with a magnet. In particular, use a strong magnet, such as the rare-earth magnet made out of neodymium. Silver is paramagnetic and exhibits only weak magnetic effects. If your magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it has a ferromagnetic core and is not silver.[4]XResearch source

Keep in mind that there are a few other metals that do not stick to a magnet and can be made to look like silver. It is better to perform the magnetic test in conjunction with another test to make sure the core is not another metal.

Try the sliding test. If you are testing silver bars, there is another way you can use a magnet to see if your silver is real or not. Angle one of your silver bars so that it is at a 45 degree angle. Slide the magnet down it. The magnet should slide slowly down the face of the bar. This may seem counterintuitive, but silver is paramagnetic and the rare earth magnet induces electric eddy currents in the silver which act as an electromagnet to create a braking effect that slows the descent of the magnet.[5]XResearch source

Have some ice on hand. Keep it in the freezer until you need it for the test. While it might not seem like ice and silver go together, silver has the highest thermal conductivity of any common metal or alloy, though copper is right behind.[6]XResearch source

This test works well with coins and bars but will be harder to perform on silver jewelry.

Place your piece of ice directly on the silver. Do not take your eyes off of it. The ice will begin to melt immediately, as if it has been placed on something hot, rather than as if it it was placed on something that was just room temperature.[7]XResearch source

Try the ring test with any coin. Silver makes a really lovely bell-like ringing sound when it is tapped on, particularly when it is tapped on with another form of metal. If you want to try this out before tapping on your questionable silver, find a United States quarter made before 1965. These were made of 90% silver while US quarters made later than 1964 are made of a copper-nickel alloy. The older quarter will give a high-pitched, clear ringing tone, while the newer quarters will give a dull thump of a sound.[8]XResearch source

Drop your own coin on a flat surface from about six inches above it. If it makes a sound like a bell ringing, you have a real silver coin in your hand. If it's dull, the silver is, most likely, mixed with other metals.

Perform a chemical test analysis on the item. Use a chemical analysis if there's no stamp signifying it is silver on your piece. Put on a pair of gloves. You will be using a corrosive acid to test the piece for purity. These sort of acids burn skin.

Note that this method has the potential to slightly damage your silver item. If you suspect you have a high value item, you might be better off trying to determine the silver content using one of the other methods listed in this article.

Buy a silver acid test. You can purchase these online at sites like Amazon or eBay, or at jewelry stores. Silver acid tests are great for pure silver, but if you think your piece is silver plated, you will have to use a small jeweler's file to make a mark, revealing what might be under the plating.[9]XResearch source

Find an inconspicuous place on the item in question and make a small scratch on the silver piece. This is necessary to get to the underlying metal to test it with acid. Scratch the piece using a metal file. Scratch the surface enough so that you can get beyond any silver plating layer.[10]XResearch source

If you don’t want to scratch your piece, or potentially leave a mark from the acid, use a black stone plate. These are generally provided with a silver testing kit, or will be sold in the same store. Rub your silver on the surface of the black stone so that it leaves a thick and relatively large deposit on the stone. Aim for a line that is one to one-half inch thick.

Apply a drop of acid to the scratched surface only. If the acid touches any area of the piece that isn't scratched, it will affect the polished look of the piece. If you chose to use a black stone, add a drop of the acid on the line that you created on your stone.

Analyze the scratched surface with the acid on it. You will have to analyze the color that appears as the acid sinks into the piece. Be sure to follow the instructions and color scale of your specific silver test. In general, the color scale is as follows:[11]XResearch source

Yes. It depends on when and where it was made. Most modern items will have 925, .925, or "sterling" stamped on it. Some older items from Germany may have "stirling" or "starling." Items made in England before the 20th century may have hallmarks instead of words/numbers. For example, a sterling silver item might have the profile image of a lion.

Smell them. This works best with older things of silver. If they have a strong, distinctive, metallic smell, they're probably real silver. Compare the smell to another metal that you know is not silver. For more accurate testing, go to a pawn shop or jewelry store and ask them to do a free test for you.

Can't hallmarked silver bars still be given those signs or numbers by forgers? Or are these bars always trustworthy?

Community Answer

It is illegal to mark fake silver with those signs and/or numbers, but that doesn't always stop swindlers. So, unless you are buying from a reputable dealer (who wouldn't want their business to go under for selling fake items), then trusting the symbols or numbering alone isn't a good idea.

Warnings

Flush your skin if it comes into direct contact with the nitric acid. Nitric acid is corrosive. After rinsing your skin well, apply sodium bicarbonate or baking soda to the area of skin that the nitric acid touched.

About This Article

Co-Authored By:

wikiHow Staff Editor

This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Together, they cited information from 12 references. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article meets our high standards.

To test silver, look for a stamp with the numbers 925, 900, or 800. If you don't see a stamp, this is a red flag that the silver is fake! Next, touch a strong magnet, like a rare-earth magnet made out of neodymium, to the silver. Silver exhibits weak magnetic effects, so if the magnet sticks strongly to the piece, it's not real silver. You can also put a piece of ice on the metal. If the ice melts immediately, it's probably real silver. Buy a silver acid test if you want to confirm the material is silver. If you want to learn how to use bleach to test for silver, keep reading the article!

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,374,186 times.

Reader Success Stories

CW

Casse Waldman

Feb 16

"I just found a bag of silverware and miniature salt and pepper shakers with sterling marked on the bottom of the shakers. Thank you for your informative article. I will do the tests on the tableware. Your suggestion to use a magnifying glass worked!"..." more

KS

Kerri Short

Mar 12, 2017

"Thank you. Your procedures for testing silver were extremely helpful. The magnetic test is quick and simple, as is the bleach test. I will be getting a home testing kit now as I feel this would be the most conclusive. I have bought some items online stamped sterling silver from a reputable company, and several of the items are magnetic. So beware, especially from China. Mini in the Box and Light in the Box are the company names, so beware."..." more

AM

Angela Motta

Sep 10, 2017

"I inherited my mom's tea set, server, coffee pot, butter dish, candelabra and so on. I had no idea how to tell if they were real silver. wikiHow was the first to pop up when I Googled. I didn't need to go to any other site because this one gave me all the info I needed. Thanks, wikiHow!"..." more

Rated this article:

JO

Jan Olsen

Jun 23, 2017

"It was very helpful. I have about 30 spoons that I think are silver that came from my grandmother. All kinds of stamps on them from Denmark and Germany, so I might have to do a few tests. Thank you for the help."..." more

A

Anonymous

Jul 27, 2016

"The bleach test was interesting. Since the coin has cracks, that was easy. Thank you! No magnetism with very strong neodymium magnet. Very informational, I will now have it graded/evaluated as it passed."..." more

NS

Nancy Shelton

Dec 12, 2018

"It's very handy to know that products at home can help to determine real or fake silver. This was very informative for me about other metals. Thanks!"..." more

JP

Jape Pea

Aug 12, 2017

"I did the easiest and eco friendliest test, the ice test worked quite easily and you gave me the best help choices needed for a DIY testing."..." more

Rated this article:

AS

Allen Sikes

Jul 2, 2019

"I've just found this site and I feel better to have some knowledge about silver, gold and platinum. Thanks again for being there."..." more

CP

Claudia Poindexter

Jul 8, 2016

"I only knew sort of one way to test for sterling silver - the magnet. But I couldn't remember if it stuck or not. Thanks."..." more

CL

Casey Leatherman

Jul 19, 2016

"Thank you so much for the information! I'm so happy to have a way to check gifts before I give them."

LA

Lynn Armstrong

Jul 22, 2017

"I have started buying second hand silver to try and resell. This article will help. Thank you!"

Rated this article:

MV

Melinda Vincentie

Jul 14, 2016

"Thank you. Tested my ring with a magnet and by the sound it made (compared to two quarters). "

A

Anonymous

Jul 13, 2016

"All of this was helpful, especially the different tests at home or when in the field."

TB

Tim Batterson

Oct 7, 2017

"The ice cube test, then the bleach test. Thanks so much, I will sleep better tonight!"

J

James

Nov 13, 2017

"Love the ice cube test. I have a silver coin which I plan to drop and listen to."

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Co-Authored By:

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Co-authors: 26

Updated: March 2, 2020

Views: 1,374,186

95% of readers found this article helpful.

117 votes - 95%

Click a star to add your vote

95% of people told us that this article helped them.

CW

Casse Waldman

Feb 16

"I just found a bag of silverware and miniature salt and pepper shakers with sterling marked on the bottom of the shakers. Thank you for your informative article. I will do the tests on the tableware. Your suggestion to use a magnifying glass worked!"..." more

KS

Kerri Short

Mar 12, 2017

"Thank you. Your procedures for testing silver were extremely helpful. The magnetic test is quick and simple, as is the bleach test. I will be getting a home testing kit now as I feel this would be the most conclusive. I have bought some items online stamped sterling silver from a reputable company, and several of the items are magnetic. So beware, especially from China. Mini in the Box and Light in the Box are the company names, so beware."..." more

AM

Angela Motta

Sep 10, 2017

"I inherited my mom's tea set, server, coffee pot, butter dish, candelabra and so on. I had no idea how to tell if they were real silver. wikiHow was the first to pop up when I Googled. I didn't need to go to any other site because this one gave me all the info I needed. Thanks, wikiHow!"..." more

Rated this article:

JO

Jan Olsen

Jun 23, 2017

"It was very helpful. I have about 30 spoons that I think are silver that came from my grandmother. All kinds of stamps on them from Denmark and Germany, so I might have to do a few tests. Thank you for the help."..." more

A

Anonymous

Jul 27, 2016

"The bleach test was interesting. Since the coin has cracks, that was easy. Thank you! No magnetism with very strong neodymium magnet. Very informational, I will now have it graded/evaluated as it passed."..." more